Tori Amos is about to release her first full-length album in four years,
Ocean to Ocean, and like her previous collections
The Beekeeper and
Native Invader, the fiery piano siren has once again turned to the garden to help cope with grief and loss. Her new single, “Speaking With Trees,” is full of groovy guitars, rocking drums, and obviously, some spirited keys. The song will have you swaying in your seat up until you listen to the lyrics. “Speaking With Trees” is about Amos
burying her mother’s ashes beneath a treehouse, unable to mention goodbye. “I’ve been hiding your ashes under the treehouse / Don’t be surprised I cannot let you go,” she sings. The sound of strings swirls around her, culminating with a rousing bridge about feeling contained by the branches. —
Chris Rudolph